Abbas

With a new and serious diplomatic showdown between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in progress — PA President Abbas seeking to charge Israeli leaders with military crimes through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Israel freezing $147 million in monthly tax revenue payments to the PA — one wonders who’s calling whose bluff and where it will all lead.

Washington — The Mahmoud Abbas whom Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused of incitement has said the Jewish state practices genocide and called the temporary closure of the Temple Mount after a terrorist attack a “declaration of war.” Yet virtually no one in Washington wants Abbas to do anything but what he’s done for nine years: be president of the Palestinian Authority.

Tel Aviv — Seven weeks of war have left behind large swathes of Gaza City destroyed and thousand of Palestinian casualties. In Israel, dozens of soldiers died, thousands of residents fled their homes and polls show that Israelis believe that the cease-fire reached last week will eventually give way to a new war.

In agreeing to yet another cease-fire with Hamas on Tuesday, Israel may get the peace and quiet its citizens have longed for during 50 days of fighting, but the long-term outlook — and the future of the Palestinian Authority — is still very much in doubt.

The Israeli government is understandably upset with Washington’s decision to deal with the newly announced unity government formed by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. The anger and frustration is based on Jerusalem’s leaders being taken by surprise by the move and because the U.S. could have and should have based its acceptance on Hamas reforming itself.

The chances that U.S.-brokered Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will continue beyond next month’s deadline appeared to improve this week, after an Egyptian court banned the activities of Hamas and seized its assets. At the same time, a Saudi billionaire flew to Ramallah to encourage Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to make peace.

Will additional UN moves do more damage than good for the PA president?

11/15/2011

Joshua Mitnick

Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — For months the Palestinian Authority rode a wave of international anticipation over its bid for United Nations statehood recognition and the possibility of domestic protest. The mere mention of “September,” the timing of the UN General Assembly, was enough to make Israeli politicians uncomfortable.